Variation of vector forces in training

“Life doesnt always come at you the same way a machine does” Tom Myers. In martial arts, the same idea holds true; you connect with the opponent and make judgements that limit their potential to cause harm and increase your potentials. This variation is an interplay of physics, mind (knowing what you should do and actually doing it) as well as a higher consciousness of spatial awareness (orchestrating that decision while staying open to further evolving evaluations).

In martial arts, this idea of vector also creates ground force; not using your own crude muscular force but creating an unpolluted vector through your body into the ground. In arts that involve striking its hitting with ground force, in grappling arts its putting your frames/pressure in the right places so little muscular effort is used.  How the body gets from point A to point B however must be smooth and no structural flaws. If you train in a linear way especially for martial arts; your movements will have a start and a stop; the most exaggerated example; a haymaker punch.

What we look for is how smoothly we can execute a physical action so that your mind isn’t preoccupied by the strain of the action or the action itself (unconscious competence).  Most physical movement that we see in the west is for appearance; to look good.  In martial arts; this is of little importance and will telegraph all your potentials as a gift to the opponent.  When the end goal is externally motivated your mind is locked too deeply in the limitations of crude matter and will neglect all latent potentials that exist energetically. As Einstein showed E=MC2, matter is a function of density; in non technical terms how much space exists within form.

What makes nonlinear movement so powerful, the mind moves the body unconsciously and is free to make course corrections regarding vectors.  How smoothly these vectors change is what we call spiral body mechanics.  This has been around since antiquity in martial arts.  The idea of relaxing into your structure is not to be embraced as being a jellyfish; there is a strength inherent at all times in all frames of movement that is internally driven.  It is more like a cat.

Spiral body

Daoyin chart 206 BC.